Louisiana Film Prize Brings Back $50,000 Purse for Winning Short Film

For the first time in two years, Louisiana Film Prize is bringing back its $50,000 grand prize for the best short film shot in Caddo Parish, Louisiana.

The Shreveport-based contest calls for filmmakers from around the world to come to Louisiana and make a short film between five and 15 minutes. Films shot in local Caddo Parish, Louisiana, are eligible for the $50,000 prize, while films shot anywhere else in Louisiana are eligible for a $25,000 prize. The top twenty films submitted are screened for audiences and judges in October, after which point one final grand prize winner is chosen based on the voting from those two groups.

For the last two years, the total purse has been reduced to $25,000 due to the pandemic, but this year the purse for Caddo Parish films is being brought back up to $50,000, which the organization boasts is the largest cash prize for a short film offered in the world. In addition to the grand prize, Film Prize is also offering registered filmmakers the chance to win one of three $1,000 filmmaking grants if they choose to shoot in Caddo Parish.

“Moving the Film Prize back up to $50,000 is huge for our community,” said Gregory Kallenberg, executive director of the Prize Foundation. “We are already seeing independent filmmakers sign up, and we can’t wait to continue our work of making Caddo Parish an indie film Mecca.”

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The kickoff to this year’s competition will be hosted on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. at Central Artstation in Shreveport, Louisiana, where filmmakers can network with other prize competitors. The event is free and open to the public with masks and proof of vaccination.

“The response we have seen from filmmakers across Louisiana and the country just over the last few weeks has been astounding. That tells me that this year’s Film Prize is going to be something truly special,” said director Chris Lyon. “We look forward to watching these filmmakers add to the success of the first ten years of Film Prize by coming to our state and our community to tell amazing stories which the public will get to see at Prize Fest come October.”

Filmmakers can register to compete at prizefest.com.

Main Image: A still from the 2018 Louisiana Film Prize selection Gloria